Target-practice apparatus.



F. MITCHELL.

TARGET PRACTICE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APR.19, 1907. RENEWED JULY5,1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

2 SHEEN-SHEET l.

P. MITCHELL.

- TARGET PRACTICE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APR.19, 1907. RENEWEDJULY 6, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

A L I V 1 UNITED STATES ATE FTC.

FRANK MITCHELL, OF HAIIIMERSMITH, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO ATLANTIC NATIONAL BANK, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND,

A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

TARGET-PRACTICE APPARATUS.

Application filed April 19, 1907, Serial No. 369,150. Renewed July 5,1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK MITCHELL, a subject of the King of England,residing at Hammersmith, London, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in or Relating to Target-Practice Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to construct improved apparatus forshooting practice in which any ordinary rifle or gun or other aimingmember can be used exactly in the ordinary manner.

The improved apparatus is more especially adapted for use with a rifle,the present service weapon or any substitute being capable of usetherewith.

The weapon may be used and held quite freely in any posit-ion exactly asin ordinary firing but without the necessity of using ammunition.Theaccuracy of the aim at the instant of the firing action taking placeis indicated or recorded by electrical means, by the marking of aminiature target electrically or mechanically or in any other suitableway.

According to the present invention a light cord hereinafter called aconnector is stretched from the gun to a small target or to some pointin front of the gun and at a comparatively short distance from 1t so asto lie in a straight line from the point of attachment on the gun tothat on the target or other point. A very light and almost invisiblecord may be used such as strong thread. This is kept in tension by meansof springs, weights or equivalents and may be so arranged that thedistance from the gun to the target may be varied, the cord being insome cases extensible as by a length of elastic or by a weight passingovera pulley or by a spring so that the connector is kept under tensionalthough the distance may be varied.

As the connector when in use always lies in a straight line from thebore of the gun to the targetits angular relation to the axis of the gunvaries according to the direction in which the gun is pointed. Thisangular variation of the gun in relation to the connector is takenadvantage of according to this invention to effect audible or visiblerecord of the aim at the moment of pulling the trigger. As anexample, anelectric bell may be sounded, a light shown, an indicator Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. MP, T914,

Serial No. 777,496.

moved or other like effects produced, a miniature target or the pencilor pricker or the like of such target may be moved for marking purposes,or, the connector may carry a pointer or pricker and the gun may carry aterminal board or miniature target holder, the action of firing causingthe pointer or pricker to approach and mark or perforate the target. Thearrangement is preferably such that when the gun is pointed exactlytruly the pricker is in front of the center of the miniature target butan angular movement of the gun will alter the relative positions of thetarget and pricker or marker and thus make a record of theaccuracy orinaccuracy of the aim.

The marking of the indicator card or miniature target may be effected bythe electric current itself in any well-known way such for example as bycausing the current to pass through chemically prepared paper or by thepassage of a spark to perforate the target.

A further feature of the invention is that the movement of the gunrelatively to the connector may be magnified say for example through theaction of a pivoted rod and such magnified movement recorded.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate various constructions oftargetpractice-apparatus all according to this invention, Figure 1 showsa gun, connector, and target ready for use, the connector being shown asentering a target box. Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section of a gunshowing an electric arrangement for indicating accurate aim by ringing abell. Fig. 3 is a section of a part of a gun bar el with anarrangementfor marking a miniature target inside the barrel. Fig. 4 is an elevationof a gun with a miniature target mounted outside and parallel to thebarrel. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a construction in which aminiature target is carried in a separate tubular holder capable ofbeing slipped over the end of the gun barrel. Fig. 6 is an elevation ofa form in which the miniature tar get is on the outside of a gun thedirection of aim being indicated on an ordinary indicator. Fig. 7 is aface view of the miniature v target shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 shows aportion of the gun barrel with a connector and magnifying rod. Fig. 9 isa sectional elevation showing a continuous flexible connector passingthrough a bent tube provided with a pricker or marker. Fig. 10 is adiagrammatic view of an electrochemical or electric-sparkmarking-arrangement for the miniature target.

Referring first to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the gun 1 is connectivelyrelated to the target 3 by a flexible connector 2. This connector whichmay be of light thread, cord or wire, is shown passing through thetarget which may have a hole in it for the purpose and the connector iskept taut by a drum and coiled spring inside the box behind the target 3the object being to give a perfectly free gun which may be moved aboutand held at different heights and distances from the target while stillenabling the connector to form a straight line to the target. In thisform the connector passes up the bore and is attached to a plug in thebreech end at and is at that part only permanently central with thebore. The connector being very much smaller than the bore it is possibleto hold the gun pointing toward the bull on the target with the cordexactly in the center of the bore for its whole length thus it will nottouch the for ward part of the bore except when the gun is put out ofline which action is taken advantage of in various ways as will behereinafter described.

The gun may for example be arranged as illustrated in Fig. 2 in whichthe flexible connector 2 is attached to a plug 5 in the breech end orcartridge chamber of the barrel and passes to the target 3 and thenceover a drum. The connector 2 in this case is a fine wire either entirelyor for a length somewhat greater than the barrel in which case theremainder may be a fine cord or strong thread shown kept under tensionover a drum by a weight 7 as shown in Fig. 2. The plug 5 may in thiscase be made of rubber to insulate a wire which carries near the forwardend of the barrel a washer or contact 8 and at the rear end passesthrough the rubber plug and is provided with an insulated extension toenable the plug to be extracted.

In the forward end of the barrel is inserted a metal ring 9 havingpreferably an internally coned surface surrounding the washer 8 suchring being capable of longitudinal adjustment in the barrel. Beneath thebarrel is a metallic insulated strip 10 connected to the metal portionof the connector 2 at one end and at the other end to the coil of amagnet 11 from whence a circuit passes to a bell terminal and through abattery 12 to a spring 13 on the trigger guard from which it isinsulated there being a branch circuit from the armature 14 of themagnet to the trigger and a connection from a contact piece 15 to theother bell terminal.

The action is as follows :-Upon pulling the trigger the bell and batterycircuit will be momentarily closed at 13 and the bell will ring if thewasher 8 is not in contact with the coned ring 9. If however at thatinstant the washer 8 is in contact with the adjustable cone 9 throughthe gun being pointed slightly out of line, then the current frombattery 12 will be shunted and passes thence into the barrel from thebarrel to washer 8 and wire connection with the insulated wire strip 10to the magnet 11 on to the battery 12. Owing to there being contactbetween the washer 8 and the cone 9 the circuit will be made and themagnet will now lift the armature 14C and break the bell circuit so thatthe bell will not ring and it will be known that the gun has beenincorrectly aimed. In place of the bell any other electricallycontrolled method of indicating may be adopted and the coned ring 9 maybe built of insulatedlsegments so that by closing different electriccircuits accordingto which part of the cone is touched by the washer 8an indication as to which side the fault of aim is may be obtained. Orthe washer may be made of insulated segments instead of the cone for thesame purpose. The object of the cone shape of the ring is that byshifting the part farther in or out the aim will require to be more orless accurate as desired.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, 17 is a universally pivoted rod or leverforming the end of the connector which latter is attached to the targetin any suitable way. The rod or lever 17 in the form shown is pivoted ina plug 18 held tight in the forward part of the barrel while its innerend 19 carries or forms a pointer or marker. In this case there is anindicator card or mini ature target holder 20 mounted on a spring orelastic plug which may be similar to that shown in Fig. 2; this holder20 placed normally just out of reach of the pointer or marker 19. Theholder 20 is carried by a pin 21 which passes through the plug andprojects at the breech end. hen such a. plug is put in a central firegun no special mechanism except that already provided in the gun isrequired to give the desired movement for perforating or marking theminiature target, as the action of firing will drive the pin 21 andholder 20 forward owing to the firing needle striking it in the samemanner as it would strike an ordinary cartridge, a record being thusmade on the target card corresponding to the angular or other positiontaken up by the pointer 19 as the re sult of the aim. The plug in thiscase being made of rubber will again pull the mini,- ature target in theholder 20 away from the pointer 19 when the bolt is pulled back readyfor firing again thus the operation can be repeated showing a number ofrccords on one indicator card or miniature target, or the plug can beextracted and each record examined or a new target card inserted. Itwill be obvious that the plug may contain or be substituted by anyspring means for withdrawing the target holder or that the pin 21 mayact as the pointer and the target holder be carried on the rod 19.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the indicator card or miniature targetholder 20 is mounted on a rod 22 slidably mounted on the outside of thegun and parallel with the barrel, such rod 22 being mechanicallyconnected to the firing needle bolt head 24 so that upon firing actiontaking place it gets a forward jump or push by the said bolt headsuiiicient to allow a pointer or needle carried or moved by theconnector to prick or mark the target. To enable this to be done thepricker or marker 25 is shown mounted on the connector 2. The connector2 in this case passes up the bore and the in theater card or targetholder 20 is cranked or held over so that it is concentric with thebore. The rod 22 is shown as provided with a spring 23 to keep thetarget normally away from the pricker or marker. Or such a connector maybe connected to the firing pin bolt head direct. In this manner it wouldalso get the necessary forward jump due to the elastic pull of the cordto prick or mark a stationary miniature target mounted on the gun.

In the form shown in Fig. 5 the miniature target or target holder 20 iscarried by a separate barrel 26 adapted to be placed on the gun barrel.As shown the rod or lever 17 is pivoted at 18 to the plug pin 21 andcarries at its outer end the pricker or marker 25 which is normally heldfrom contact with the miniature target by the action of spring 27 inplug The connector is shown kept under tension by a coiled spring behindthe target.

In Fig. (3, the miniature target 20 has a series of separate contactplates (see Fig. 7) each connected to an ordinary room in dicator, thecentral one being in connection with the bell as is also the rod orlever 17 the arrangement being such that when the miniature target isbrought in contact with the lever 17 on firing the gun the circuit iscompleted and the indicator will show the direction of the aim at themoment of firing. The connector as shown being partly elastic isconnected to a hook on the target.

Fig. 8 illustrates a construction in which the rod 17 does not form partof the connector 2 but is operatively connected thereto as at 28, theconnector itself passing straight down within the bore of the gun andbeing connected centrally at the breechend. The rear end of the pivotedrod 17 is provided with a pointer or marker as in the constructionillustrated in Fig. 6, and a marking or miniature target is providedmounted upon the gun working in conjunc tion therewith. The advantage ofthis construction is that the relative motion which occurs when thereis'want of alinement between the aXis of the gun and the connector 2owing to inaccurate aim is magnified and such magnified movementrecorded.

In the form shown in F 9, a cord 17 is connected at one end to a plug 5similar to those already described at the breech-end of the barrel; itthen passes through a bent tube 18 which carries a pricker or marker 19at the forward end of the gun and is connected to the objective targetso as to be kept under tension as described, the action of recordingbeing the same as already described. This bent tube 18 carrying themarker 19 forms a very convenient adjustment for the distance betweenthe miniature target and the marker, for if the connector 17 beslackened, the bent tube can be shifted along the wire forming theconnector to make such alteration, but when stretched taut, the frictionbetween the wire and the tube at the bonds is siiifiicient to keep theconnector and the tube in fixed relationship.

Fig. 10 indicates how a record may be made on the chemically preparedpaper or like material of which the miniature target 20 may be made. Asshown, the bent rod 17 and the connector 21 carry metal points 18 and 19the latter being connected by the wires shown, one to one pole and theother to the other pole of an electric battery not shown. With suchconstruction the act of firing would close the circuit, and the currentpassing through the pape would leave a mark or point, or if a coil beused, the same action may cause a spark to perforatethe paper target bypassing between the points 18 and 19, the mark or perforation showingthe accuracy of the aim.

It will be observed that the connector in each case constitutes adirector or controller, directing or controlling the movement of therecording member and causing its relation to the target to correspond tothe deviation of the line of sight of the aiming device from thebullseye of the main target.

IVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a target practice apparatus the combination with an aimingdevice and a target to be aimed at of a movable connector jo-ining theaiming device, and a point fixed relatively to the target, and arecording memher for recording deviations of the line of sight of saidaiming device from the target, said recording member being connected tosaid connector to be controlled thereby.

2. In target-practice apparatus the combination of an aiming device, atarget to be aimed at, a flexible rectilinear movable connectorstretched between the gun and a point fixed relatively to the target,and means acting through the movement of said connector for reproducingany movement from the normal alinement between the gun and theconnector.

3. In a targetpractice apparatus the combination of an aiming device, atarget to be aimed at, a connector stretched between the aiming deviceand the target, means for keeping such connector in tension and allowingfor variation in the distance between the aiming device and the target,and trigger-controlled means for recording any movement from the normalalinement between the aiming device and the connector.

4. In a target-practice apparatus the combination of an aiming device, atarget to be aimed at, a connector stretched between the aiming deviceand the target, a weight and pulley near the target for keeping suchconnector in tension and allowing for variation in the distance betweenthe aiming device and the target, and trigger-controlled means forrecording any movement from the normal alinement between the aimingdevice and the connector 5. In a target-practice apparatus thecombination of an aiming device, a target to be aimed at, a rodpivotally mounted on the aiming device, a connector joining the rod andthe target, a miniature or marking target carried by the aiming device,and trigger-operated means for bringing the marking target and the rodinto temporary contact.

6. In target-practice apparatus the combination of an aiming device, atarget to be aimed at, a connector joining the aiming device and thetarget, a miniature or marking target supported on the aiming device, amarker on the connector, and trigger-operated means for bringing themarker and the miniature target into temporary contact.

7. In targetpractice apparatus the combination of an aiming device, atarget to be aimed at, a rod pivotally mounted on the aiming device, aconnector between the rod and the target, an operative connectionbetween the connector and the rod, a marking or miniature target mountedon the aiming device, and trigger-operated means for bringing theminiature target and the rod into temporary contact.

8., In target-practice apparatus the combination of an aiming device, atarget to be aimed at, a flexible connector having one end attached tothe aiming device and the other passing through the target to be aimedat, a weight-operated drum near the target acting to keep the connectorin tension, a marker on the connector, a miniature or marking targetcarried by the aiming denation with an aiming device, of a miniature ormarking target supported by the aiming device, and means also supportedby the aiming device for recording upon the m1n1ature target thedlrection of aim.

10. In a target practice apparatus the combination with an aiming devicefor aiming at a reference object, said device being free from anymechanical support and used without ammunition, of means for indicat ingthe direction of aim, and means connectively relating the aiming deviceto the object aimed at and controlling the aim indicating means.

11. A target practice apparatus having an aiming device, a target, atarget-recording means actuating means therefor, and a fiexiblerectilinear recorder controlling connection between the aiming deviceand said target serving to control the position of the recording meansthrough the movements of the aiming device.

12. The combination with an aiming device, of a follower carried by theaiming device for recording the aim thereof, a director engaging thefollower and being fixed with reference to a point extraneous to theaiming device.

13. In a miniature target practice apparatus the combination with anaiming device of a flexible connector normally in line with the borethereof and connected thereto, and a recording member attached to saidconnector.

14. In a miniature target practice apparatus the combination with anaiming device having a barrel of a recording member, a flexibleconnector operatively connected to the recording member and to theaiming device, and passing into the barrel of the aiming device.

15. In an apparatus for recording the direction of aim of an aimingdevice the combination with a flexible connection extending from theaiming device to a point fixed with relation to the object aimed at, andmeans controlled by the relative deflection between said connector andsaid aiming device for recording the direction of aim at the moment offiring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK MITCHELL.

Witnesses HARRY S. Bnmcn, ARCHD. J. FRENCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

